2011 EPIC Award Winners Announced

Event professionals for Michigan were honored at the 2011 Event Professional Industry Class (EPIC) Awards. The awards honored the best in event design, production and culinary skills for events orchestrated between July of 2010 to June of 2011.

For this year’s awards, the Greater Detroit Chapter of the National Association of Catering Executives (NACE) teamed up with the Metro Detroit Chapter of the International Special Events Society (ISES).

“We had a vision,” says Dee Cody, co-chair of this year’s awards. “We wanted to create an awards program that everyone in Michigan can participate in. We are confident that the winners of this year’s awards can truly say they are the best in the catering and events industry."

This year’s award winners included:

• Best Team Effort – Ana Skidmore of Two Foot Creative, Bill Hamilton of Bill Hamilton Designs, Todd Hardiak of Colonial Party Rental, & Ally Hurst of Zingerman’s Bake House

• Best Wedding with a Budget over $20,000 – Lindsay Simms of the Palazzo Grande

• Best Wedding with a Budget under $20,000 – Jessica Clum of Crystal Gardens

• Best Social Event (Non-Wedding) with a Budget over $10,000 – RoseAnn Nicolai of Nicolai Events & Communications Inc

• Best Social Event (Non-Wedding) with a Budget over $10,000 – Mark Ephraim of Top That! Event

• Best Themed Event Décor – Bill Hamilton of Bill Hamilton Designs

• Best Tabletop Design – Bill Hamilton of Bill Hamilton Designs

• Best Cake Presentation – Debbie Meyers of Sweet & Savory Bake Shop

• Caterer of the Year – Dee Cody of the Doubletree Suites by Hilton

• Event Professional of the Year – Mark Ephraim of Top That! Event

• NACE – Michael Havens Award – Mark Ephraim of Top That! Event

• NACE – Rising Star Award – Jessica Nederhoed, student at Ferris State University

• ISES – Presidents Award – Carol Ewing of Magnum Events